Clinical nursing worksheet with answers

Free printable Clinical nursing worksheet: 8 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy

After a stroke, a patient has "aphasia". What does this mean?

  1. ALoss of vision in one eye
  2. BDifficulty swallowing food, drink and saliva
  3. CDifficulty understanding or producing language
  4. DWeakness of one side of the body
2.Easy

While an automated external defibrillator (AED) is analysing the rhythm or delivering a shock, what must everyone do?

  1. AHold the patient's hand
  2. BGive rescue breaths
  3. CStand clear and not touch the patient
  4. DKeep doing chest compressions without pausing
3.Easy

If a blood pressure cuff is too small for the patient's arm, the reading will tend to be:

  1. AFalsely high
  2. BAccurate
  3. CImpossible to obtain
  4. DFalsely low
4.Medium

The WHO analgesic ladder recommends:

  1. AGiving analgesia only when pain becomes severe
  2. BUsing only non-drug methods for cancer pain
  3. CStarting all patients on strong opioids
  4. DMoving from non-opioids to weak and then strong opioids as pain increases
5.Medium

A patient with sickle cell disease is admitted with a painful crisis. What is a key early nursing priority?

  1. AGiving prompt, effective analgesia
  2. BDelaying pain relief until a diagnosis is confirmed
  3. CApplying cold packs to the painful areas
  4. DRestricting oral fluids
6.Medium

A patient with type 1 diabetes has blood glucose of 25 mmol/L, deep rapid breathing and ketones in the urine. What is the likely diagnosis?

  1. AHyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state without ketones
  2. BNormal glucose fluctuation
  3. CDiabetic ketoacidosis
  4. DHypoglycaemia
7.Hard

Which nursing measure helps reduce raised intracranial pressure?

  1. AFrequent suctioning and encouraging strong coughing
  2. BTilting the patient head-down
  3. CLying the patient flat with the neck flexed forward on two pillows
  4. DRaising the head of the bed to about 30° with the head kept midline
8.Hard

Which patient should a ward nurse assess first at the start of a shift?

  1. AA patient asking for a laxative
  2. BA patient with new-onset confusion and a respiratory rate of 28/min
  3. CA patient with chronic back pain scored 4/10
  4. DA patient awaiting discharge with stable observations

Answer key

  1. 1. C · Difficulty understanding or producing language
  2. 2. C · Stand clear and not touch the patient
  3. 3. A · Falsely high
  4. 4. D · Moving from non-opioids to weak and then strong opioids as pain increases
  5. 5. A · Giving prompt, effective analgesia
  6. 6. C · Diabetic ketoacidosis
  7. 7. D · Raising the head of the bed to about 30° with the head kept midline
  8. 8. B · A patient with new-onset confusion and a respiratory rate of 28/min

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